Boston University has been selected as the preseason favorite to win the 2008 America East Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championship, according to a vote of the conference’s head coaches. The Terriers received six votes (coaches were not permitted to vote for their own team), tallying 62 points. University of New Hampshire took the other three first-place votes in its second-place standing with 59 points.
University at Albany (50 points) finished in third place, followed by UMBC (40 points) in fourth, and Stony Brook University (33 points) taking fifth-place. Binghamton University tallied 31 points for sixth, while University of Maine (22 points) took seventh. University of Vermont (19 points), and the University of Hartford (8 points) rounded out the coaches’ poll.
Boston U. looks to repeat its 2008 America East Indoor Track & Field Champion title in the outdoor season. The Terriers will rely on the upperclassmen for both leadership and points. Senior Tahari James (Branford, Conn.) will lead the Terriers in both running and field events. She comes off a sixth-place finish in the triple jump event at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships. The Terriers will also look for points from junior Rebecca Marshburn (Dana Point, Calif.) in the hurdle and sprint events, as well as senior Marisa Ryan (Farmington, Conn.) an NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships fifth-place finisher in the 3000-meter event.
New Hampshire will look to senior Kiah Quarles (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) in the sprint events as well as fellow Wildcat Cathy Parker (Westford, Mass./Westford Academy), a force to be reckoned with in the distance events.
Albany will try to repeat as Outdoor Track and Field Champions. The Great Danes will be led by junior Kamilah McShine (Spring Valley, N.Y./Ramapo) in the hurdles and heptathlon.
UMBC's Ashley Fauntleroy (Silver Spring, Md./Paint Branch) returns in the field events after being named last year's Most Outstanding Field Performer at the 2008 Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The Gregory sisters (Williamsburg, Va./Jamestown), Kierra and Tierra will be top competitors in the hurdle and sprint events, while fellow Retriever Alex Hyland (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South/St. Francis) will pose a threat in the distance events.
Stony Brook has strength in its distance runners. Senior Dana Hastie (Wellington, New Zealand/Newlands College) will be a top contender in the distance events.
Binghamton junior Kim Williams (Buffalo, N.Y./Leonardo de Vinco) will lead the sprinters after being honored as the Most Outstanding Track Performer at the 2008 Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Senior Keisha Short (Yaphank, N.Y./Deer Park) and junior Katie Radzik (Mt. Sinai, N.Y./ Mt. Sinai) will also be ones to watch for.
Maine will be led by sophomore Vanessa Letourneau (Fairfield, Maine Lawrence High School) in the middle distance events and junior Vicki Tolton (Smithers, British Columbia/Smithers Secondary) in the multi events.
Vermont will be led by Senior Corinne DiPietro (Middleton, Mass.) the 2007 America East Champion in the javelin as well as junior Jan Carlson (Vernon, VT /Brattleboro) in the sprints and jumps and conference standout senior Carmen Lagala (Montpelier, VT /Montpelier) in the middle distance events.
Hartford returns senior Latasha Jarrett (Ellington, CT/Ellington) in the middle distance and jump events.
The 2008 America East Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be held at University of Maine on May 3-4.